doggydaddy
Grampysorus Rex
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 6,008
- Reaction Score
- 8,970
This one was too good to pass up. The two most disliked teams on this board. Should be fun to watch and discuss afterwards.
Overview – Both ND and Tennessee come into this game hot. ND has won 13 in a row and Tennessee has won 9 in a row. Something obviously has to give. Last year ND beat Tennessee 72-44. Two years ago they beat Tennessee 73-59 in the elite eight.
Players lost – Tennessee – Stricklen, Johnson, Bass, Baugh, Manning.ND- Peters, Novosel, Mallory
Both teams lost a lot of points and rebounds from last years rosters. And both have not missed a beat. Credit to the coaching staffs and the players for performing as such a high level.
Players added - Tennessee – Graves, Carter, Jones, Moore, Phillips. ND - Loyd, Mabrey, Cable (missed her freshman season)
Graves has been a horse for Tennessee. 2nd leading scorer and 1st in rebounding. Carter is out for the season and losing her might be a problem with any foul trouble but it hasn't slowed down Tennessee at all. Phillips has made the occasional contribution and is a terrific athlete.
Loyd has been solid for ND with the occasional great performance (Baylor). Mabrey killed Uconn with her 2 threes but has not had any consistancy having an injury earlier in the season. Cable is contributing more and is shooting 39% on 3's.
PG – Massingale 5’7” SO (8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg) vs Diggins 5’9” SR (15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.6 apg)
Massingale has not performed like the top recruit that she was. She struggles both from the field and the 3 point line. She has a solid assist/to ratio. Diggins has turned it on lately but she has struggled shooting for much of the season. Difference here is defense. Massingale has difficulties keeping players in front of her and Diggins will take advantage of that.
Advantage Notre Dame
SG – Simmons 5’7” JR (17.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.1 apg) vs Loyd 5’11” FR (12.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Simmons has really turned it around during this winning streak. Still taking the occasional bad shot, she has made a higher percentage of her shots the last 9 games. While she still doesn't get many assists, she has taken care of the ball. Loyd has her work cut out staying with Simmons. But Simmons will have the same problems in guarding Loyd.
Advantage Tennessee
SF – Spani 6’1” SR (9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg) vs McBride 5’11" JR (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Spani has also had a resurgance in the last 9 games. Shooting better and clearly feeling better. She is strong enough to stay with McBride, but not quick enough. She could get into foul trouble quickly.
Advantage Notre Dame
PF – Graves 6’2” FR (14.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.1 apg) vs Bracker 6’1” (5.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Should be a good physical matchup. Graves has been just terrific this year and is a FOY candidate. Bracker has to stay tough to keep this matchup close, but Graves is just a force.
Advantage Tennessee
C – Harrison 6’3” SO (10.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.0 apg) vs Achonwa 6’3” (13.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)
This should be a great matchup. Two improved posts going at it. Harrison is even more foul prone than Achonwa. It could be a problem for Tennessee. Harrison likes to take her shots from around the foul line out to close to the 3 point line. If it pulls Achonwa out of the paint, Graves could dominate.
Advantage Notre Dame
Bench – Tennesssee -Williams5’11” SR (5.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 apg),Jones 6’2” SO (4.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .8 apg)vs Wright6’2" (4.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.0 apg), Marbrey 5'11 (4.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.8 apg), Cable 5'11" (5.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Total stats off the bench – Tennessee – 10.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.4 apg.ND – 14.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.8 apg
This game will be decided by the starters. But both teams could get some nice performances by Williams for Tennessee and Cable for ND.
Advantage - EVEN
Coaches – Holly Warlick vs Muffet McGraw
McGraw is a heck of a coach, and will do a great job in this game in both preparation and in-game adjustments. Warlick is doing a fine job. Her team is responding to her and they winning, although winning ugly at times.
Advantage - Notre Dame
Intangibles – Home court makes a difference. ND has recent history on their side.
Advantage Tennessee
Final analysis – It's a tale of two different styles. Tennessee needs to run, run and run some more and hit the boards. While they are playing better in the half court, ND will disrupt the Tennessee offense more often than not. ND runs terrific offense sets and Tennessee will have problems defending them. Now, will Notre Dame get to the line like they do against everyone else in TBA? If there is any arena that can prevent ND from getting to the line it's there. I'm really looking forward to this. One of the teams that I love to watch lose will lose. Sadly one will also win.
Final prediction – ND will disrupte Tennessee's offense enough and gets to the line just enough to win this game in a close battle.
Overview – Both ND and Tennessee come into this game hot. ND has won 13 in a row and Tennessee has won 9 in a row. Something obviously has to give. Last year ND beat Tennessee 72-44. Two years ago they beat Tennessee 73-59 in the elite eight.
Players lost – Tennessee – Stricklen, Johnson, Bass, Baugh, Manning.ND- Peters, Novosel, Mallory
Both teams lost a lot of points and rebounds from last years rosters. And both have not missed a beat. Credit to the coaching staffs and the players for performing as such a high level.
Players added - Tennessee – Graves, Carter, Jones, Moore, Phillips. ND - Loyd, Mabrey, Cable (missed her freshman season)
Graves has been a horse for Tennessee. 2nd leading scorer and 1st in rebounding. Carter is out for the season and losing her might be a problem with any foul trouble but it hasn't slowed down Tennessee at all. Phillips has made the occasional contribution and is a terrific athlete.
Loyd has been solid for ND with the occasional great performance (Baylor). Mabrey killed Uconn with her 2 threes but has not had any consistancy having an injury earlier in the season. Cable is contributing more and is shooting 39% on 3's.
PG – Massingale 5’7” SO (8.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.3 apg) vs Diggins 5’9” SR (15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.6 apg)
Massingale has not performed like the top recruit that she was. She struggles both from the field and the 3 point line. She has a solid assist/to ratio. Diggins has turned it on lately but she has struggled shooting for much of the season. Difference here is defense. Massingale has difficulties keeping players in front of her and Diggins will take advantage of that.
Advantage Notre Dame
SG – Simmons 5’7” JR (17.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.1 apg) vs Loyd 5’11” FR (12.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Simmons has really turned it around during this winning streak. Still taking the occasional bad shot, she has made a higher percentage of her shots the last 9 games. While she still doesn't get many assists, she has taken care of the ball. Loyd has her work cut out staying with Simmons. But Simmons will have the same problems in guarding Loyd.
Advantage Tennessee
SF – Spani 6’1” SR (9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.1 apg) vs McBride 5’11" JR (14.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Spani has also had a resurgance in the last 9 games. Shooting better and clearly feeling better. She is strong enough to stay with McBride, but not quick enough. She could get into foul trouble quickly.
Advantage Notre Dame
PF – Graves 6’2” FR (14.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.1 apg) vs Bracker 6’1” (5.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Should be a good physical matchup. Graves has been just terrific this year and is a FOY candidate. Bracker has to stay tough to keep this matchup close, but Graves is just a force.
Advantage Tennessee
C – Harrison 6’3” SO (10.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.0 apg) vs Achonwa 6’3” (13.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg)
This should be a great matchup. Two improved posts going at it. Harrison is even more foul prone than Achonwa. It could be a problem for Tennessee. Harrison likes to take her shots from around the foul line out to close to the 3 point line. If it pulls Achonwa out of the paint, Graves could dominate.
Advantage Notre Dame
Bench – Tennesssee -Williams5’11” SR (5.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 apg),Jones 6’2” SO (4.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .8 apg)vs Wright6’2" (4.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.0 apg), Marbrey 5'11 (4.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.8 apg), Cable 5'11" (5.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.0 apg)
Total stats off the bench – Tennessee – 10.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.4 apg.ND – 14.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 3.8 apg
This game will be decided by the starters. But both teams could get some nice performances by Williams for Tennessee and Cable for ND.
Advantage - EVEN
Coaches – Holly Warlick vs Muffet McGraw
McGraw is a heck of a coach, and will do a great job in this game in both preparation and in-game adjustments. Warlick is doing a fine job. Her team is responding to her and they winning, although winning ugly at times.
Advantage - Notre Dame
Intangibles – Home court makes a difference. ND has recent history on their side.
Advantage Tennessee
Final analysis – It's a tale of two different styles. Tennessee needs to run, run and run some more and hit the boards. While they are playing better in the half court, ND will disrupt the Tennessee offense more often than not. ND runs terrific offense sets and Tennessee will have problems defending them. Now, will Notre Dame get to the line like they do against everyone else in TBA? If there is any arena that can prevent ND from getting to the line it's there. I'm really looking forward to this. One of the teams that I love to watch lose will lose. Sadly one will also win.
Final prediction – ND will disrupte Tennessee's offense enough and gets to the line just enough to win this game in a close battle.
